Umi no Merodi  Ocean's Melody
by GureShinju
Summary: Eighteen years ago, the Antarctic kingdom was attacked and the Purple Princess got killed. Now, a young mermaid flees with the forgotten Pearl, unaware of the consequences that await her.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Darkness. Pieces of a sunken ship. Slippery plants. The echo from a whale. There was no place where I was safe. If I got to close to the shore, I took the risk of being seen by humans. If I got to deep into the ocean, I took the risk of being seen by other mermaids. Therefore, I hid in the deep.

How many kilometers did I pass? Feeling the warmer water, I assumed I was close to the equator. A separation between two kingdoms, no mermaid would go to such place on her own. Which meant I was safe, right?  
>I started my journey to the surface. Slowly, so my eyes could get used to the light. Only a few meters to go. It had been long since I saw light, even years that I even went to the surface. Maybe it was dangerous, even though I was in the middle of the ocean. There was no land, nor boats, not even a single animal. I was completely alone in this endless blue.<br>I jumped above the water. My long hair waved around me, water splashed up. It felt good to feel the sunshine on my face. I spent so long in darkness, this was a relief. Gracefully I dived back into the cool water, increasing my swimming speed. I felt a little more comfortable. Nobody could find me her, I could stay a little more to the surface without being seen. Only when I reached the North Pacific Ocean I had to hide from others again..

I floated at the surface while lying on my back. I was exhausted. Even though I swam faster than an ordinary human, I still got tired after almost 24 hours of swimming. It was dark, even underwater, I didn't swam into another mermaid, I only came across a few whales, a lost turtle and a bunch of fish. I knew that I didn't stand out in the dark water, that nobody could find me and that I was finally safe now. I was close, only a few moments and I could finally get the help I needed, maybe even rest..  
>A scream. It scared me and I jumped up, for it was a real scream and not some kind of ocean sound. Someone was close to me, someone who was in danger. Or did someone see me? I quickly dove into the water and turned the other was, away from the sound. Again a high pitched scream reached my ears. I stopped and pushed my nails in my own hands. I couldn't leave someone, who sounded so scared, alone in this darkness, could I? But it was too dark, how could I ever find someone around here? Just listening wouldn't work, not if you were in the middle of an ocean.<br>I grew numb and stared at the bright, orange glow in the distance. She was a – but that meant – I grasped my fingers around the necklace I was wearing and closed my eyes, swimming towards the light. It got brighter and brighter, the closer I got. I didn't dare to open my eyes. What if I didn't belong here after all, if I had been wrong all along, if all of this would've been for nothing. What if she would sang and my head would split in two, then I would've failed, then I didn't belong.. Then I didn't reach anything.  
>A creepy laugh reverberated, the light died out and I heard another scream of someone who was terrified. I stopped swimming and wrapped my arms around myself. What was I doing? When did I become some kind of here? What could I even do? What was I thinking? That I could possibly help her, just because of the pearl I -<br>"Help me!"  
>Drat. Did she see me? Now I didn't have a choice anymore, I couldn't possibly swim away from her and leave her behind. My knuckles were pale white because of the grasping of my necklace. I cursed myself. How did I get here? Who said that this pearl would work for me? If it was still working. If I just started screaming around, I would give myself away. Then they would know I ran off and took their most precious possession with me. I closed my eyes again, desperately repeating the words in my head while scratching myself until I almost bled. I couldn't say it out loud, they would come after me and that would mean I wouldn't be safe anywhere.<br>I jumped when a shadow slipped past me. In their hurry I could just distinguish two black spots and an orange mermaid. I had to be fast if I still wanted to rescue her. If I wouldn't, I would be just as bad as the other. Immediately I swam as if my life depended on it. They were fast and probably a lot less tired than I was, but I couldn't give up now. I was almost there, I could almost see her face clearly.. and the fright that was engraved on it. I stretched my arms and with my last powers I grabbed her tail. Suddenly they stopped, I bumped against her. In only the blink of an eye I realized that I wasn't the only one who got scared to death. The orange mermaid was screaming at the top of her lungs but more importantly, her attackers had let her go. Immediately I raced off, grabbing her arm and not letting it go. I felt how she tried to get away from me and decided to dive into the deep.  
>"What do you think you're doing?"<br>I ignored her words and swam farther, her fingers squeezed between mine while I dodged rocks and plants. She pulled my arm, I stopped and looked up to her. It was dark down her, I could barely see her face. The only thing I was able to see, was the vague reflection of her orange hair.  
>"Why are you doing this, why are you taking me here, let me go!" She pulled my arm another time, I strengthened my fingers and pulled her towards me. "Please, be silent, before they will hear us."<br>"You will never get my pearl!"  
>"I don't even want it, now please shut your mouth." Otherwise I had to take her even deeper in the ocean and I wasn't sure if she would like that. Distrustfully I looked over my shoulder. We actually had to leave this place, it was too open, we were still in danger. That moment I realized that I had loosened my grasp and that she had been able to free herself. She swam off, directly to the light and I went after her.<br>"Leave me alone!"  
>"No, don't go that way, they'll find us for sure!" I stretched my arms towards her, but her fins slipped through my finger.<br>"Stay away from me- Orange Pearl Voice!"  
>The sudden light blinded me and I backed away from it, shunning my eyes. When I was able to look again, I saw how she reached for her E-pitch and glanced me viciously. "<em>Ai to yume ga hitotsu ni nari. Kanashii 'ima' wo hoshikuzu ni shite kureru kara. Shinjite..<em>" She was producing a bright, white light, but her voice wasn't hurting me the way it was supposed to hurt me. Mermaid princesses could hurt villains with their voices, the emotions of love and joy in their songs would do harm to those with evil in their hearts. Did that mean that I ..?  
>"<em>Kono chikara yume no tameni. Kaseru nara umarete yukitai no. Ai ni naritai..<em>" She opened her eyes, the somewhat proud smile disappeared from her face when she saw that her singing didn't affect me. Desperately I looked at her, swimming towards her and grabbing her hands. "I don't want to hurt you, why else would I rescue you? I think you could.. help me."  
>She stared at me, her eyes wide open and doubtfully she backed away from me. "What do you mean?" She carefully looked at me, I saw her looking down before she gasped. "Are you -?"<br>My hand automatically reached for my necklace. "I, I.."  
>"Show me!" With a little flash she changed back to her mermaid form, swimming towards me. Her hand touched mine, I looked at her with fear in my eyes. What if I wasn't the one who she thought I was? What should I do, bluff or be honest?<br>With a soft click my necklace opened, I bit my lip when she pressed her hands against her mouth. "Oh.. Yeah, I would call that a problem," she muttered. A problem? Then she was still being subtle. The pearl had turned dull and grey and, above all, felt as cold as ice. It didn't even get close to the shiny color it should have had.  
>"Where were you going? You seem quite far away from home?"<br>"The Arctic Ocean."  
>"What a coincidence, that means we can travel together." She smiled at me. "Did I introduce myself, by the way? How rude, I am Solange, the Orange Pearl Princess from the Indian Ocean." She grabbed my hand and shook it happily.<br>"Kaelyn," was my response. In comparison to her title, my name suddenly sounded.. weak.

I did have to admit: company was quite a relief, compared to swimming all those kilometers on your own. Solange had immediately turned into a bright, cheerful and quite talkative person. She was mainly speaking about herself, the life in the Indian Ocean, the boy she had met at the surface, how she knew Nyline, the Aiiro Pearl Princess from the Arctic Ocean. I was fine with it, it was for the best if the subject wouldn't be me.  
>"I think we're getting close, it's freezing around here. How could someone even choose to build a palace at this distant place?" Solange rolled her eyes. "No, I prefer my own, tropical ocean."<br>"I'm not used to anything different," I muttered, shrugging my shoulders.  
>"Oh, of course, you're from the South Pole. How's life up there?"<br>I glanced at her for a moment. I could tell she was curious, because she could imagine how things where at the Antarctic Kingdom. "Cold," was my answer after a short silence, to my surprise she burst into laughter. "You're quite funny- don't get me wrong, I just didn't expect if from .." Her eyes slipped downwards, along my black tail, and an uncomfortable feeling settled in my stomach. "I believe we're here."  
>She was distracted immediately, letting out a scream and diving down towards the palace. "Nini!"<br>I just had to smile while I swam after her. Now that Solange was with me, I felt a little safer. One of the seven princesses seemed to have accepted me, I had a little less of a chance of being kicked out of the kingdom.  
>"Solange, behind you!"<br>I froze when a dark blue mermaid showed up right in front of me. Two furious, blue eyes gazed at me, her fingers where wrapped around a necklace. "Aiiro Pearl Voice!"  
>The pale blue light was less bright then Solange's. It felt warm to my skin, almost.. familiar.<br>"_Nanairo no kaze ni fukarete tooi misaki wo mezashiteta._"  
>Her voice echoed in my ears. It was almost like it triggered a memory. An unknown warmth filled my heart. I couldn't remember, but I knew this song.<br>"_Yoake mae kikoeta merodii. __Sore wa –"  
><em>"_totemo natsukashii uta."  
><em>She was startled when I sang the last line along with her. Her eyes wide open, she stared at me while I was just smiling with my hands folded together. "_Higashi no sora e to habataku tori tachi._"  
>"<em>Saa, takarajima ni nukeru chikamichi.<em>" Solange showed up next to us and watched us, singing along.  
>"<em>Nanatsu no umi no rakuen. Arashi no yoru no ato ni wa. Ai wo tsutaerutame inochi ga mata umareru.<em>" It almost felt as if our voices could reach every ocean.  
>"<em>Nanatsu no kuni no merodia<em>." Even the Aiiro princess seemed to have found her voice again. _"Daremo ga itsuka wa koko wo tabidatsu higa kitemo._ _Watashi wa wasurenai._"  
>There was a silence, Solange hugged the Aiiro Princess. "You're always just so lovely impulsive, Nini."<br>Nini let out a sigh and got away from Solange, turning back into her mermaid form. "My name's not Nini. And what would you do?" From the corners of her eyes she stared at me, slowly raising an eyebrow. "Did you just change color?"  
>"I looked at my tail, spinning around. Before I knew, Solange had grabbed my fins and turned me upside down. "Now that you mention it.. You're suddenly are lot more purple!" She turned me back up and tried to grab my necklace. Quickly I backed away, placing my hand over the locket.<br>"Come on, show it!"  
>"What do you mean? Wait, she doesn't own the –" Nini's jaw dropped while she stared at me. "Where did you get that?"<br>I had never felt so cornered, with a hostile Nini and a hyperactive Solange facing me.  
>"She got the Purple Pea –"<br>"Hush!" Anxiously I tried to calm Solange. If someone found out about me having the pearl, then.. Both of them gazed at me, their eyes opened wide. I let out a sigh and lowered my hand. "Well.. It's kind of a long story."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

While I was swimming in the palace, following Nini and Solange, I felt like I was being watched. They maybe suggested I had become more purple but the other Arctic mermaids didn't seem to share their opinion. From every corner people were staring at me, I heard whispers. Of course, I knew that my colour was a taboo, but I had never been outside Antarctic territory and I had never been prejudiced like this.  
>Nini, or actually, Nyline, the Aiiro Pearl Princess of the Antarctic Ocean, decided to stay silent. She said she would take us, but not where she was going to take us. It seemed Solange did know and she was surprisingly happy. She was swimming on her back, spinning circles every now and then, her arms folded behind her head. "How's she doing actually?"<br>Nyline immediately gave her an angry look, before she turned around again and gave a kick of her tail to speed up. ".. Not so good."  
>I really didn't know what I had to think of all this. I was the new kid in town. I guessed Nyline and Solange were about my age, but yet they seemed so more.. mature.<br>The thick, blue door opened by itself and suddenly we were watching a beautiful white room with a view on the open ocean. In front of the window was a dark blue mermaid, she was lying on a white bed. She had the same, bright colour as Nyline. Solange kept waiting on the doorstep en I decided to wait behind her, until Nyline beckoned me. Slowly I swam along with her, we stopped next to the bed and she touched the hand of the indigo mermaid. "Someone's here.. I think she's important."  
>She opened her eyes and stared at me. Cool and blue, like the ocean behind her. She smiled, open and friendly, not even surprised that there was a stranger in her room, a stranger who appeared to be a black mermaid.<br>"My sister told me you would come."  
>For a moment, I was petrified, mostly because Nyline did the same and I felt the eyes of Solange piercing my back. Slowly the blue mermaid rose, she grabbed my hand. "My name is Noel, I'm the former princess of the Arctic ocean. Nyline is my successor."<br>That's why they had the same colour, that's why they said something about 'her sister'. I didn't know much about the other kingdoms and the way of succession they used, but I knew the poles were connected and that usually a new princess was born only when the former princess had died. That was the reason why I fled to this ocean in the first place. That was the reason we had a problem at the South pole.  
>"She has the Purple Pearl." Nyline turned around to me, I knew that she wanted me to give her my necklace. Maybe I did have the Purple Pearl, she didn't really see me as its rightful owner. But at the same time, it was not like I even believed that myself.<br>Reluctantly I took off my necklace, the shell locket was grey and felt ice cold. I gave the necklace to Noel and immediately I felt released, as if some weight had fallen from my shoulders. The necklace held a negative aura and I had been carrying it for almost two days.  
>Again people reacted shocked when the locket was opened. The pearl wasn't glowing, like it should. There wasn't even a single trace of shine. I didn't know any better than the pearl being grey and dull for years, its colour and powers faded away completely by sadness and betrayal.<br>"My sister sometimes visits me in my dreams." Noel looked at me, I felt her eyes searching for mine but I kept staring away.  
>"Eighteen years ago I felt how she died. At that very moment I resigned from my pearl. That is the reason why Nyline was born and I'm still alive while there's already a successor."<br>Nyline seemed to notice where this conversation was pointing to, just like myself, while Noel already seemed to know more than all of us.  
>"Karen has already told me everything.. You're the real Purple Pearl Princess."<br>Immediately I freed myself from their hands, gazing at everyone with my eyes opened wide. There was an awkward silence that lasted for minutes, my fists were trembling. "It's impossible, I only took the pearl because.." Yes, why on earth did I took the pearl? Because I thought I could change things on my own? Or maybe because I had been attracted to the pearl since I was just a kid and I had always hoped it would turn out to be mine indeed? I heard all the stories, I was brought up underground in protected circles. Maybe they had all known and still didn't say a word.  
>I spurt away from everyone, out of the window, away from the palace, away from all convictions, the whispers, the responsibilities and the pearl. What I wanted I had accomplished. The pearl was in good hands, I didn't need anything more. I would go somewhere else, where I could live anonymously and safe. Eventually there would be a new successor, somebody who did turn out to be the true heir and not an impostor, like me.<br>"Kaelyn!"  
>I looked over my shoulder, Solange was following me. Quickly I went for the deep, she couldn't handle herself out there, but I was used to the very depths of the ocean.<br>"Kaelyn, come back!"  
>"No, leave me alone. You got the pearl, now find someone else!"<br>"You can't run from it! Do you think we chose for this?" Her words startled me and she bumped into me. In the dark I felt how she wrapped her arms around me while she let out a sigh. "It's never fun to hear that you actually have so much responsibilities, even less if you live eighteen years without knowing."  
>I felt tears welling in my eyes. For eighteen years I had carried my responsibility, the secrecy, the protection of others, the suppression, the sadness.. It wasn't like I had been living careless for eighteen years and decided to have some holiday at the Arctic ocean.<br>"The Antarctic kingdom is a mess," I muttered. "You have no idea."  
>"Well aren't you the perfect person to change things around then? You're their leader."<br>"They already have a leader. Do you even know what happened eighteen years ago? The only thing they want with me, is imprisoning me and taking the pearl. Nobody is waiting for me." Though even I knew that was a lie, still I got more and more convinced it was true. Not everyone was waiting for the rightful princess, there were also mermaid who blamed her for everything.  
>"Come with me, back to the palace. Nini and Noel want to hear your story as well." Solange slowly swam up and pulled me with her. I jerked her arm. "I don't want to go back. What must they think of me? I suddenly show up with the Purple Pearl which lost all of its powers, I brought you in danger.."<br>"Didn't Noel tell you that she already expected you? She sees Karen in her dream, you haven't been a secret to her for a long time."  
>"Don't you get it? As soon as they notice I took the pearl ánd I'm the actual princess, then they'll hunt for me. That way I'll jeopardize everyone, it's impossible for me to stay here."<br>"I'm sure everyone here is willing to take that risk. Come on."

Reluctantly I looked from Noel to Nyline. They didn't seem to be angry with me, on the contrary, Noel had hugged me and had hung back the necklace. The locket felt a lot heavier now I knew that it really belonged to me. Nyline held back a little, she sat in the window, staring outside. Solange was sitting next to me, Noel lied down on her bed again.  
>"I don't know where to start." I let out a sigh. It was dark outside, the scales on my tail shimmered in the light of numerous little lights that still lighted the palace.<br>"You could start with what happened eighteen years ago?"  
>"Solange!"<br>"What? I'm only trying to help her." Solange waved Nyline's comments away and looked at me. In only shrugged my shoulders. "I thought everyone already knew what happened."  
>"Well, it's not like we're still on speaking terms with your kingdom." Solange received another dirty glance from Nyline, but she ignored it. I was staring in the distance, my tail swept dispassionately back and forth. "Eighteen years ago there was a coup. It turned out that mermaids didn't agree with the way princess Karen handled things and that they conspired against her.. Things got out of hand, the ordinary people got involved as well and princess Karen got killed." I paused for a moment, banning the glares from everyone out of my head. "I grew up in the resistance, in secret. That's why I know the other side of the story. The kingdom is ruled brutally, there's no freedom, nobody is allowed to leave the ocean. Inside the resistance they have always been searching for the real heir, because they were sure that despite of the betrayal, new life would be born from the Purple Pearl."<br>"Only to think that you were right under their noses all the time." Solange giggled, her joy interrupted the stressful silence. "How did you manage to steal the pearl? Haven't they heard of security or something?"  
>"They do.. The pearl is being shown in the throne room, to remind everyone of what happened and that the princess is lost. That we're powerless. There's a taboo on the pearl, especially because <em>she <em>can't use it."  
>"Can you?" For the first time in a while Nyline opened her mouth, her tone was a little sharp. My heart beat in my throat, I really didn't have the guts to actually try the Purple Pearl's powers. Somewhat helpless I looked at Solange, hoping she would ask me another question, but she seemed just as curious as Nyline.<br>"Maybe you'll turn purple againif you try."  
>It felt like everyone stared at my black tail again and I felt like turning away and hiding. I knew it was impossible, our entire nation had a grey or black colour, the colour of betrayal, anger, sadness, shame, suppression.. Even the mermaids who remained loyal to Karen.<br>I jumped when Solange poked me. "Come on, try it!"  
>"W-what do I have to do? Grey Pearl Voice?""<br>"No, that's way too depressive. Just Purple, like us." She nodded to Nyline, whose interest was obviously aroused. Even Noel rose from her bed. In a reflex I grabbed my, _my,_ necklace. "I don't know.. Purple Pearl.. Voice?"  
>"Louder! Just shout it. What are you afraid of? It's not like you can't sing, even without transforming or a working pearl." Solange took my hand and laughed happily. "Come on, like this.. Orange Pearl Voice!"<br>"Aiiro Pearl Voice!"  
>The room got filled with numerous hints of blue and orange, I protected my eyes from it and jumped as Noel laid her hand on my shoulder. "This pearl is meant for you and only for you. It's your destiny."<br>I swallowed and stared at the grey locket in my hand. On the other side, did I have something to lose? "Purple Pearl Voice." It was still less powerful than Solange and Nyline, but it did seem to have some kind of effect. The locket beat for a moment, a ripple spread through the water. Immediately a nauseous feeling settled in my stomach. This was no good. Something was happening. I didn't transform, though the pearl did react.. and not in a good way.  
>There was a scream and for a moment I was petrified. Suddenly there were alarms ringing and shells being blown. A dark blue mermaid hastily swam into the room. "Your Higness, there are –" She glimpsed at me and I jumped up.<br>"_They _are here. The black mermaids." Still she was staring at me, like I was the one who called them.. what was the truth, in fact. Helplessly I watched Solange, who held on to Nyline. "What should we do?"  
>Nyline put her hands on Solange's. "We're going to sing. It's all we can do. We can handle them, they're only mere mermaids."<br>"Your Highness, terrible news! Their leader –" Another mermaid came swimming towards us but before she was able to finish her sentence, the whole castle was shuddering. With fear in my eyes I looked at Noel, who was surprisingly calm. What in the world did we have to do?  
>"Come on. Kaelyn, you stay here," spoke Nyline decidedly, almost walking away with Solange. But Noel shook her head. "Nyline, listen to me. You have to flee. To the human world."<br>"But –"  
>"You know what to do. You can bring Solange and Kaelyn to the place I have shown you."<br>"But what about you?" Nyline bit her lip and grabbed Noel's hands. "I just can't leave –"  
>But Noel kept shaking her head. "You know, just like I know, that my time has come. Now that the Antarctic princess is here, there's no need for me staying on earth. I have felt that this moment was coming for weeks."<br>By then tears were streaming along Nyline's cheeks, Noel lovingly stroke them away. "Leave now. And take good care of your little sister. Protect her.. like I should have protected Karen."  
>I saw it hurt both of them, but Nyline toughened up. With a flash she and Solange changed back into their mermaid forms. Noel's words kept bugging me. <em>Little sister, little sister.. <em>Of course I knew the poles were connected, that Noel and Karen also were twins, separated by fate. But the realization that that meant Nyline and I were sisters as well only started to reach my mind just now.  
>"Your Highness, you really have to –" More and more blue mermaids came to the room, the one even more concerned that the other. I glanced at Noel, she smiled just as calming as before.<br>"Come on." Solange took my hand and pulled me away. Outside of the chambers there were barely any mermaids. It had gotten dark, the lights flickered on and off and from a distance I heard the sound of destruction. It was _her. Her _and her disgusting pet. And all because I tried to call forth the Pearl Voice. I let Solange take me meekly, while she was swimming as if her life depended from it. Through all sorts of hallways and passages we finally got to a little gate, from where Nyline led us through alleys, small detours and secluded paths before we finally left the kingdom behind us. I could see the tears on her eyes, but all three of us remained silent. I had jeopardized them, Noel was about to die and the Arctic kingdom was being destroyed. Guilt started to eat me from the inside and still I stayed with them, even though I had no idea where we were going to. To me, all the oceans but the Antarctic were forbidden, let alone the human world.. I only heard rumors, lugubrious tales about pollution, whale hunting, molesting coral.. My heart beat in my throat, I felt Solange squeezing my hand. No, I didn't have any choice but trusting these mermaids blindly. But I had this feeling that they felt exactly the same.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Exhausted we laid next to each other, me in the middle, Solange on my right and Nyline on the other side of me. Only now I noticed how tired I actually was, which wasn't weird if you considered I had been awake for two days non-stop, swimming for over half of the time.  
>Nyline had brought us to Japan. We barely talked to each other, none of us had felt like she should keep up a conversation. She had told us that this was the place where the generation of Mermaid Princesses before us had escaped to safety when the oceans were in danger. Karen, Noel, Seira, Rina, Lucia, Coco, Hanon.. They all had been here a long time ago and now it was us, laying flat on a plateau, behind a few rocks, all of us worn out.<br>"Let's go. We have to get to Pearl Piari." Nyline got up and kicked her tail out of the water. Briefly she touched her necklace, then her tail glowed and split in two. On two legs she stood next to us, placing her hands in her sides. Solange sighed and also put her hand against her necklace. Curiously I looked up, both of them were almost unrecognizable. Somewhere it seemed logic, that we didn't looked the same in our human forms. If we would give ourselves away, we would turn into sea foam.  
>"What are you waiting for?" Solange reached for my hand. I swallowed and put my hand around my necklace, stroking it softly. What if I activated something again so they would come after us. For now we were safe here, could we take this risk?<br>"Nothing will happen, come on, Kaelyn, we're safe as long as we're here. Just wish you turn into a human, that's all you need to do."  
>I closed my eyes, slowly exhaling. Suddenly I was surrounded by a soft purple light. It was a weird feeling to feel your tail split. Clumsily I stood up, Solange grabbed me before I could fall down. "Your first time on land, isn't it?"<br>I nodded and tried to take a few steps, but my new legs felt like chewing gum.  
>"Nyline, wait a sec," shouted Solange, rolling her eyes and wrapping her arms around my waist. "Don't worry, sometimes Nini is just a little.. enthusiastic."<br>"My name is not Nini," she said angrily from behind the rocks. Inelegantly I moved forward, I was already missing the water.  
>I jumped when Nyline suddenly popped up and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "You'll get used to it," she mumbled somewhat short, before she started walking in a quick pace again, almost dragging me along.<p>

By the time we reached the hotel, I could handle myself walking. Nyline had told us about the place she was taking us to, that the hotel used to belong to Nikora, a North Pacific mermaid, and was used as a hideout for the former Mermaid Princesses during the terror of Gaito and Mikeru. They almost spent two years on land. Noel herself had spent her summers here frequently, together with her sister Karen and best friend Coco. But now that safety had returned in the oceans years ago, the hotel got abandoned and damaged. Noel's friends had died a long time ago, every pearl had brought forth a new successor, only Noel had still been alive to wait for the Antarctic princess.  
>The door was obviously stuck as Nyline pushed it. She let out a deep sigh and was looking around somewhat lost, while she had been the one who seemed the most independent to me.<br>"Didn't they left a key or something?" Solange rolled her eyes and looked at me. "Can you stand on your own?"  
>"I.. I think so." I put down my arms and stumbled a little when she stepped away from me, but I managed to stay in place. Luckily the hotel was close to the sea, the sound of the waves calmed me down.<br>"Found it!" Solange had a basket with flowers in her hands, underneath it was a little key. "They must've known that we would need this place again someday." She put the key in the door that opened slowly. I actually had expected it to fall down immediately.  
>"I'm hungry, do you think there's any food?" Solange pressed a button and suddenly the hall bathed in light. "Oh, the electricity is still working."<br>.. Electricity? I frowned my brows. No, I didn't feel at home in this world. I had spent my whole life in the ocean.  
>"I don't think there's something to eat, Solange, I think we have to take care of that tom –"<br>"Oh my- Kaelyn, Nini, get upstairs! Go, go, go!" Solange had ran up the stairs, ran back halfway and was beckoning us. A little confused Nyline and I looked at each other, before we followed her upstairs. "What is it?"  
>"Mirror, take a look!"<br>Before I knew Solange had grabbed my wrist and pulled me in front of the mirror. "I figured that I can see you two together, but you haven't seen each other together and furthermore, you have never seen you as a human," she rattled. I looked at myself, my eyebrows rose. I had noticed my hair had gotten really short, but instead of ending around the end of my tail, my hair now only reached in a sharp line to my shoulders.  
>"Look, look!" Solange pushed Nyline next to me. "You're each other's purple-blue, curling-straight mirror image!"<br>I pushed my nails in my hand and watched Nyline trough the mirror. We had the same length, our faces looked identical, even our hair was almost the same. The only difference was that Nyline's eyes and hair had a beautiful dark blue colour and mine were.. I sighed deeply. Where I had hoped that maybe I had turned purple now, my hair had such a deep purple colour that it almost seemed black. My eyes were grey and dark as the night sky. Solange herself had wavy, brown hair that reached just beyond her shoulders and dark brown eyes. All three of us were almost unrecognizable. Somewhat insecure I looked at the others. Because did unrecognizable also mean we were safe?

Even though I hadn't slept much the last few days, I was the first to rise next morning. My stomach rumbled, but since I had no clue about this world, I had decided not to check things out for myself but wait for Nyline and Solange.  
>I went outside, to the garden. From the lowered wall in the back I could watch over the beach and the ocean. It wasn't safe to go swimming on my own and if I was honest with myself, I was frightened of my own people. Sighing I let down my head, breathing in the salty smell of the sea.<br>"Who are you?"  
>Quickly I raised my head. I turned around and looked right in the face of an unknown person. Just now I created an image of something Solange had described as 'boy'. Strong shoulders, slim, messy dark brown hair, hazel eyes that hid behind small glasses. I felt my heart skipping a beat, not only because of his appearance also for his somewhat angry attitude.<br>"What are you doing here? This hotel belongs to my grandfather."  
>"I.. I.." I felt how my face slowly began to turn into a tomato and I hid behind my fringe, lowering my eyes. "There was a key, Nyline said.."<br>"Kaelyn, who is this?"  
>Thank goodness, Solange. I immediately felt like running towards her and hiding behind her because the boy made me feel really uncomfortable.<br>"What are you doing here, you are tresp –"  
>"Why are you so stressed?" Solange giggled, literally waving his words away with her hand. "There was a key underneath a basket of flowers, kind of typical, don't you think?"<br>"That doesn't give you the right to –"  
>"Solange, what's going on?" Nyline appeared on the doorstep, watching the boy. "Is there a problem?"<br>"What in the world do you think you're doing here?" The boy pressed his glasses tighter on his nose, I grabbed the ridge of the wall.  
>"This is property of my grandfather."<br>"Oh, Nikora sold it to your grandfather?" Nyline smiled, to my surprise. The boy frowned his brows. "How do you know Nikora?"  
>"That's kind of a long story. My.. grandmother was friends with her little sister."<br>The family bindings already made me dizzy, but more important: the boy seemed to calm down. "You mean Lucia?"  
>Nyline nodded. "We're all granddaughters of Lucia and her friends. Solange is Seira's grandchild, Kaelyn is Karen's. I'm the granddaughter of Noel." She gave him her hand. "Nyline Yamagata, how do you do?"<br>His eyes watched all three of us, I felt how he looked at me longer than at the other two and again lowered my eyes.  
>"Seito Daishi." A small smile appeared on his face while he shook her hand. It almost didn't seem like a coincidence anymore as Solange immediately stepped forward. "Solange. Solange Gensai."<br>Seito frowned again and shook her hand briefly, before he turned to me, to everyone's surprise. I froze again, even though his appearance seemed a lot more friendly, I still felt uncomfortable when he watched me.  
>"What is your name?"<br>".. K-Kaelyn." Frightened I looked at Nyline and Solange. Where had they gotten that second name from?  
>"Kaelyn Yamagata." Nyline put an arm around my shoulders. "She's my.. twin sister."<br>I looked at her, the smile was firmly placed on her face and I almost couldn't tell anymore if it was an honest smile or not.  
>"You almost look like you've only known that for one day." Seito smiled at me friendly, I felt the blood running through my cheeks. The worst part was he had no idea how much he was telling the truth.<p>

Apparently there was so much more I could learn from this world. First, those two names everyone got. It appeared that all people had a second name that they shared with their family members, a so-called surname. Solange and Nyline had picked one years ago and from this moment my 'surname' was Yamagata.  
>Second.. Seito. A boy, like they called him. He had caught my attention, even though I had no clue about how to behave around him. He appeared to be family of Taki-san, Nikora's <em>human <em>husband. As far as I knew, our worlds should stay separated, but apparently those rules had been blurred somewhere..  
>The third shock came during the afternoon, when we went out to do the groceries. Shops were huge and you could buy all sorts of stuff. I still didn't feel great, but my lack of sleep and the food cravings were at least quenched. Meanwhile it was evening and I was exhausted again. We had decided that we were going to exploit Pearl Piari as a beach hotel and restaurant again, just like our ancestors, and for a start we had cleaned the whole building from top to bottom.<br>"I can't take it anymore, I've had enough!" Solange fell down on the couch, putting her head backwards. "I want a bowl of noodles and a good night sleep."  
>I smiled, we only knew each other for a short while, but I liked Solange. She often broke awkward silences and she brightened up a whole room with her appearance. Nyline seemed to feel quite uncomfortable with this new situation and hid in the kitchen half an hour ago. I would've never thought of her that she could cook, but on the other hand.. there were more things I didn't know about her.<br>"Solange?"  
>Lazily she opened one eye. "Hm?"<br>"I think.. I want to go for a swim." I knew we actually had agreed on avoiding the ocean for a while, but I couldn't help it. Solange had opened her both eyes now, I could see she understood me.  
>"Don't stay away for too long. Nyline- you know how she can be." She winked at me, I felt how the corners of my mouth formed a slight smile. "Don't worry."<p>

Outside of the house I could already hear the sea. The thought of soon being able to feel like myself again, even if it were only for ten minutes, was amazing. I started to run, crossing the street towards the beach. Only a few meters before I could feel the sand underneath my feet, only a few meters before I could take a dive in –  
>Suddenly I fell backwards. I landed on the hard pavement and for a moment there were stars dancing in front of my eyes, until I heard someone shouting next to me. Immediately I was conscious again, sitting bolt upright and looking at the person next to me. No one less than Seito was sitting on the ground, surrounded by a ripped paper bag and groceries.<br>"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Hastily I picked up his groceries, quitting when I saw a broken jar of pickles. My eyes went up to him, I saw him clinging to his hand, his face showed he was in pain. "Are you alright?"  
>"I'm fine." He tried to smile. "When I fell, a shard of glass got in my hand, that's all."<br>That moment I saw blood running down from his wrist. "Come with me, I'll help you."  
>"No, you don't have to, I'm fine."<br>But I shook my head and got up, lifting the bag of groceries. "No, we're close to Pearl Piari, it's the least I can do." I heard him letting out a sigh before he got up. "My house is closer."

The groceries were forgotten on the table while I was cleansing and wrapping up his hand with a first aid kit on my lap. He hissed when I dripped iodine in the cut and turned his face away. "I can't stand blood that well."  
>I smiled for a moment and closed the bottle of iodine, pressing gauze against the palm of his hand and carefully wrapping a bandage around it. I had cut myself numerous times on coral and rocks, I was used to things like this.<br>"Thank you."  
>I looked up to him and slowly let his hand slip out of mine. He stood up and looked at his hand. "Would you like some tea?"<br>I smiled, closing the first aid kit and giving it to him. "Yes please."  
>While he was in the kitchen, I took my time to look around his house. It was furnished simply in calm colours. Through patio doors you could reach a balcony that watched over the ocean. I had actually been on my way to take a swim, but I never reached the sea. Maybe I could.. Curiously I slid open the doors, stepping on the balcony barefooted. Half of his house was standing on a low cliff and was partially supported by pillars. From the railing I looked down. The water was a few meters below me and hit the underside of the balcony.<br>I jumped and screamed when he grabbed my middle and pushed me slightly forward. If I would fall in the water, I would have an enormous problem.  
>"Easy, easy." He laughed and came standing next to me. "I didn't plan on pushing you in the ocean."<br>I sighed deeply and gazed at the horizon. When I gave away my true identity to him, I would turn into bubbles.  
>"It's astonishing, you know, how you are right now."<br>I looked at him with one eye. "What do you mean?"  
>"You seemed a complete different person this morning."<br>Only now I realized where I was and with whom I was, immediately I turned red. To my surprise he had to suppress a laugh. "Why so shy?"  
>I shrugged and isolated from him, somewhat uncomfortable plucking my short, black hair. If he only knew why I was here, who I truly was, what had happened the past two days and how my life was before all this. Then he would understand my shyness, but I could never tell him that. Of course he was right, I was a lot less shy around him all of a sudden. Probably because I felt responsible for taking care of him. I couldn't bear the look of others in pain.<br>"Would you like your tea here or inside?"  
>I turned sideways and forced myself to look at him. His eyes shone behind his glasses, I felt a lump in my throat. "Here's fine," I managed to get out of my mouth, before I turned away, blushing heavily. Why did he manage to get to my head so much? I sometimes felt uncomfortable around Solange and Nyline too, but never like this.<br>By the time he got back with two mugs of tea I was watching the ocean again. The sun set slowly and was almost shining straight in my eyes, but I didn't mind. It had been years since I have seen a sunset like this.  
>"You look like this is the first time you see the sun set."<br>I could hear he was smirking and I leaned back, my eyes closed. "I live at the South Pole."  
>"Really?"<br>I nodded. I did know there weren't really people living at the South Pole, but they had a small village full of machines near the coast. There was barely any sun at the South Pole anyway and if you added that I spent most of my time underwater, since going to the surface was strictly forbidden, I indeed didn't see that much light in my life. That probably explained my pale skin colour, compared to Solange and even Nyline, who lived on the North Pole.  
>"What are you doing on the South Pole, are you a researcher?"<br>There you had the complicated questions. I cleared my throat. "Y-yes."  
>"What are you researching?"<br>Think, Kaelyn, think. Even though I knew I was a terrible liar. "Sea animals." The only subject I could bluff myself out if necessary. To my relief he just nodded and didn't ask any more questions.  
>"What are you doing, actually?"<br>"I study. At the conservatory."  
>I frowned. Studying, alright. Conservatory..?<br>"Music." He laughed. "Do you like music?"  
>I nodded enthusiastically. Of course I liked music, music was my life. The only thing that had kept us alive in the Antarctic kingdom.<br>"Do you play an instrument?"  
>"No, I sing."<br>"Let me hear something."  
>With deep red cheeks I watched the ocean. Sing for him.. Could I even sing properly right now?<br>It suddenly got dark and I opened my eyes. The sun had set. How long had I been away? I had completely forgotten about time.  
>"I'm sorry, I have to go."<br>"Why?" He looked at me, his wounded hand was shaking lightly.  
>"I said I wouldn't be away for long, what if Solange and Nyline got anxious?" Since they didn't know any better than that I went for a swim.<br>"Would look like to come over tomorrow night?"  
>His question surprised me. Almost with my mouth open I looked at him, he was just smiling. "Then you can sing for me."<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As silent as I could be I walked through the hallway. It was around midnight, but I couldn't sleep. Like I had expected, Nyline and Solange had gotten anxious, but especially Nyline had surprised me. She was furious with me and started yelling at me, before she had locked herself in her room and didn't come out anymore until we went to bed. I felt guilty and had decided I would go to see her.  
>"Nyline?" I knocked her door, but nobody answered. Carefully I pushed it, her door wasn't locked and squeaked while it opened. "Nyline?" I whispered again. I saw her lying in her bed with her back turned to me. "I just wanted to say.. I'm sorry."<br>She shove her blanket away and pat her bed. Reluctantly I laid down next to her, with a sigh she turned around. From aside she looked just like me, the twilight made her hair look black and her eyes icy blue. "I'm sorry I got so angry with you. It's just that.. you're my little sister."  
>Silent we laid next to each other, I glanced at the night sky through the wide window in the ceiling.<br>"I've always known you existed. Some feared there wasn't a successor when Karen died, but I was certain I had a twin sister on the other side of the earth. Of course Noel knew too." She let out a sigh. "Eventually they were afraid that if there happened to be a successor, that she would be a black mermaid as well. And that she would use the Purple Pearl for evil causes."  
>"I am black."<br>"But not on the inside. And it's true what Solange said, at some moments you suddenly look a lot more purple."  
>I bit my lip, underneath the blanket I searched for her hand. It felt surprisingly small compared to mine, even though I was the younger one.<br>"It will be alright. There must me mermaids who are on your side?"  
>"Yes.. though not much, some decided to join <em>her, <em>some are too scared. But they're there."  
>"See? You bring hope."<br>"_Hoshifuru yoru no fantajia._" I could see her smiling in the dark.  
>"<em>Afureru namida to inori –"<br>"- dare ni mo wakaranai. Mirai wo terashiteru._" I still thought our joined voices sounded special. Like we really belonged together. With a content sigh I laid my head on her shoulder. She could be quite cold and short to me, but I was sure that she did that because, just like me, she sometimes just didn't know how to act. We were sisters but we've only knew that since two days and since then, so many had happened. Noel died, her kingdom had been attacked en we had to flee without knowing what was happening around us..  
>Carefully I looked up when I felt how she relaxed her hand and finally her body, breathing slowly as she fell asleep. When the moon floated from behind a cloud her face was suddenly bathed in its light. She looked so calm and beautiful. I put my head down again and closed my eyes. Actually I couldn't remember sharing such.. intimacy with anyone. I was used to every mermaid for herself, but I had to admit that this felt much, much better.<p>

"Kaelyn.. Nyline.."  
>A bright, purple light woke me up. Carefully I blinked. Who was waking me? It wasn't even close to morning. And above that, sunrise wouldn't be purple.. or blue.<br>"Kaelyn!" Someone pushed my shoulder, I spread my eyes wide open. Clumsily I turned around, it took a while for me to realize that I had a pair of legs instead of fins and I was in a bed along with Nyline. Slowly I rose, rubbing my eyes. "What is going –" But I wasn't dreaming. Surrounded by a purple and blue glow Noel and Karen were standing in our room. I gasped while Nyline stood up and reached for Noel. Her hand slid straight true hers, I saw a sad smile on her face. "I thought you were real."  
>Noel shook her head and looked at me. "We are here for you. Kaelyn, this is my little sister.. Karen."<br>I barely heard Noel, I was only able to look at the other appearance. She was tall, wore a lilac dress and had gorgeous purple hair. The mirror image of Noel. I had never seen her, only heard the stories, but she was beautiful.  
>"Kaelyn.. You shouldn't be afraid." She enveloped my hands with hers, I didn't feel an actual touch, just a soothing warmth. "I am sure everyone will welcome you and teach you everything you need to rule our people."<br>I glanced her with big eyes but bit my lip still. "But the pearl.. it's grey. And when I tried to use it, it.."  
>Karen simply nodded. "The pearl turned grey thanks to the grief in what it was left. The lack of love, suppression, the sorrow, all those caused the powers to weaken. But you can return them, I am certain of that."<br>"But how, I can't even- And even so, I'm still.. black."  
>"Dearest Kaelyn, that's only the outside. You will see that in time your inside will continue to shine brighter."<br>I looked away, uncertain of all this, while tears started to show up in my eyes.  
>"Believe in yourself, Kaelyn. The Purple Pearl belongs to you. Believe in yourself.." She put a hand on my forehead, I just looked at her.<br>"Sleep now. And wake up as your true self."

"How comfy, good morning!"  
>Slowly opened my eyes, blocking them against the bright sunshine. Next to me I felt someone moving and quickly I moved to the side, until I realized where I was and that it was only Nyline who was waking up next to me. Solange was already dressed, she stood in the middle of the room with her hair in a towel, carrying a tray with three glasses of juice. A little reluctantly I took a sip. Awfully sweet, oranges. Typically Solange.<br>"I just had a.. weird dream, that's all."  
>Nyline looked at me and suddenly it came to mind what had happened tonight. Karen and Noel had been in our room, they talked to us. But everything I could remember, was Karen telling me I would sleep.. after that I went knock-out.<br>While biting my lip I touched the grey necklace I was wearing. I took it from my neck and opened the little shell. A dull, grey pearl. No improvement. I sighed.  
>"Karen and Noel were here."<br>"Whááát? And why wasn't I here?" Solange stared at Nyline with her mouth open. "What did they tell you?"  
>Nyline looked at me, I swallowed. "That I am the true Purple Pearl Princess and that I have to believe in myself."<br>Solange let out a deep sigh. "All that fuzzy spirit stuff, I could've told you that myself."  
>Nyline jumped out of the bed and angrily looked at Solange. "Why can't you never <em>respect <em>something, Solange?"  
>"You know I didn't meant it that way, Nini –"<br>"Noel and Karen have helped us enormously. You should be thankful." With a last furious look at Solange she run off. I heard her footsteps on the stairs before the door opened and closed with a loud bang again. Not sure how to act I looked at Solange, who shook her head. "Nini, Nini.. Always so sensitive."  
>I decided on not saying anything, it didn't feel like I had the right to speak because I just bumped into their lives.<br>"Come on, before she does something stupid."  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"She ran off in her pyjamas, of course she jumped in the sea." Solange grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the bed. "And that's why we're going after her."

Even though we weren't in the ocean for a happy reason, I couldn't help it to shake my hair and swim ever so fast.  
>"Kaelyn!" Solange laughed and kicked her tail so she could keep up with me. "You are really getting more and more purple, you know? You are getting a real glow over the black."<br>I smiled, on the inside I didn't feel as grey and black as before either. With a kick of my tail I jumped out of the water, the sunshine brightened up my face. I should've left the South pole way, way earlier. Sunlight was amazing, it almost felt like it could take your sorrows away. Like a dolphin I kept jumping, until Solange grabbed my tail. "You're so hyper. Do you think we'll find her faster this way?"  
>How could I forget, Nyline. Immediately I bit my lip, ashamedly looking away. "I'm sorry."<br>"No, no, it's alright. I like it when you are a bit happier. Is there something you need to tell me?"  
><em>Seito.<em>  
>"Like where you went if you didn't go swimming last night.."<br>_Seito._  
>Solange calmly swam in front of me and turned on her back, folding her arms behind her head. "Well? You weren't just somewhere, I can see it on your face."<br>"I bumped into Seito and he broke his pickles so he felt with his hand in a piece of glass and then I took him to his home to help take care of his hand and we drank tea together."  
>".. Wow, Seito broke his pickles- what?"<br>"He fell.. on his groceries. A jar of pickles broke."  
>"And you sacrifice yourself as a loving nurse, oh Kaelyn!" She grabbed my shoulders and twirled me around."You, a hidden romanticist, who would've thought of that."<br>"Ro-romanticist? That wasn't my intention, I just –" I didn't have time to finish my sentence as I suddenly felt my chest getting warm and was blinded by a bright, purple light. Solange's necklace started shining as well, but the sudden warmth of my pearl seemed a lot stronger. Astonished we looked at each other, Solange took my hand. "Nyline, she's in danger.. We talk about this later, come on."

All of a sudden we knew exactly where to go, like our necklaces showed us the way. Far away from the coast at the open sea. But maybe the dark blue shine had helped us too. We found Nyline, transformed with her E-pitch in her hand, surrounded by black and grey mermaids. I jumped and swam backwards a little. They seemed to be in pain, Nyline's song was working but it didn't do enough damage to actually scare them away.  
>"Orange pearl voice!"<br>I stared at Solange, who beckoned me. "Come on, your pearl works too."  
>"But I –"<br>"It's not like _she _will show up again, just transform!"  
>But I hesitated. If it wouldn't work and she would come our way again, then Nyline and Solange would be on their own. Against these mermaids they had a chance, but against her pet..<br>"Nevermind." Solange shook her head and swam to Nyline. Confused I was left behind, tears started to appearin my eyes. I couldn't do this. I didn't know where the purple glow had come from , but it wouldn't make any difference. I still looked like a black mermaid, probably my singing wouldn't even work because I was still one of them. Maybe it was for the best if I just.. disappeared. I turned around and dived into the depths. My tears vanished into the water while I hid in the darkness. Here they would never find me, they couldn't handle themselves this deep.  
>"Kaelyn.."<br>I was still hiding in a crack between two rocks, my tail underneath me and my head in my arms. "Go away." It took a while for me to realize who was talking to me. No one else than Karen had appeared in front of me. Even so I close my eyes. "I can't do this. I can't jeopardize them."  
>"They believe in you."<br>"And what- what if _she _appears, with her pet, captures them and destroys their kingdoms. What do I do then? Then my pearl will still be useless and I can't do anything to help them. I just feel so.. so powerless and useless."  
>"Everyone has been waiting for you for years. Everyone wants to help you. It will take some time, but the pearl will shine again. How more love you will know, the more the pearl will recover. <em>Shinjite<em>.."  
>Slowly Karen disappeared until she was just a memory. I let out a shivery sigh and slowly came out of my hiding spot, pushing myself away and swimming up. Somewhat lost I looked around. Where was I? And even more important, how would I get home?<br>Carefully I raised my head above the water. No humans, good. I brushed through my hair with one of my hands and turned around, trying to find something familiar. Water, just water as far as I could see. The sun started setting already, Nyline and Solange would be worried sick again. Pensive I looked at the birds above me. Why didn't I pay more attention? What would happen if I went the wrong way and swam only farther away from the coast? Wait- the sunset. I jumped up and whipped my hair back. Couldn't I see the sunset above the ocean from my bedroom window? That would mean if I swam away from the sun, I would make it back home. Immediately I dove into the water, keeping up a high speed. The sooner I would arrive home, the better.

Eventually I wasn't as lost as I thought I were. But I did lost track somewhere.. Blushing I hid beneath the poles of Seito's home. Even down here I could hear his piano music, from the very first notes he had manages to touch something in my heart. I had promised to sing for him.. Should I climb out of the water and knock on his door? Or could I, maybe..? I shook my head. No, I couldn't show myself. But on the other hand.. like this, unknown, I had a little more confidence.  
>"<em>Nanairo no kaze ni fukarete tooi misaki wo mezashiteta.<em>" I sat on a rock, a few metres away from his house. My voice had to reach him, it had to.  
>"<em>Yoake mae kikoetta merodii. Sore wa totemo natsukashii uta.<em>" The piano music stopped, I faltered briefly because I knew he would- The door opened and suddenly I looked right into his eyes. "_Higashi no sora e to habataku tori tachi." _  
>With big eyes he stared at me, taking his glasses from his face and blinking a few times, like he couldn't believe his own eyes. I smiled gently. "<em>Saa, takarajima ni nukeru.. chikamichi.<em>"  
>Both him and I had not looked away for a single moment. I felt my heart pounding in my throat while the words reached my lips naturally. I couldn't do anything but to sing for him. . "<em>Nanatsu nou mi no rakuen. <em>_Arashi no yoru no ato ni wa ai wo tsutaeru tame inochi ga mata umareru." _The more I sang this song, the more I started to believe in it.  
>"<em>Nanatsu no kuni no merodia daremo ga itsuka wa koko wo tabidatsu hi ga kitemo. Watashi wa wasurenai.<em>"  
>For minutes there was a silence. He leaned against the balcony, his hands gripped the wood. I saw he was still wearing his bandage and smiled.<br>"Who are you?" With his mouth opened he kept staring at me, but I only smiled. I could never tell him who I was. "_Watashi o sagashite.."  
><em>"But –"  
>Quickly I jumped of the rock, swimming to the bottom of the ocean so I would immediately disappear from his sight. I pushed my hands against my beating heart, the collar hit my wrist. Somewhat startled I looked down, taking my necklace in my hands. Was it just me or did the pearl feel a little less cold than otherwise..?<p> 


End file.
